


the hierophant's charge

by amixxhan, wind girl (amixxhan)



Series: the fool's journey [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Kinda, bad end compliant, coffee dad is the best dad, i should be studying but nO PLOT BUNNY, just check (reversed) fool for the full set of warnings, mentions of injury, morgana gets his fatty tuna, nothing graphic here, prequel to (reversed) fool btw, spoilers for the endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 03:57:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11820744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amixxhan/pseuds/amixxhan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/amixxhan/pseuds/wind%20girl
Summary: And if he’d be honest, he misses the kid. His coffee’s good. Futaba likes him. Hell, he’d coaxed Futaba out of her shell and she’s half-ready to go to high school! Kid’s a miracle, he won’t deny it. He’d been changing Tokyo little by little, both as a Phantom Thief and as himself—and perhaps if he wasn’t this disillusioned at the kid’s age (who was barely seventeen himself) Sojiro’d been the same.in which sojiro reflects quite a bit when the kid disappears.





	the hierophant's charge

The kid’s missing.

Normally, Sojiro wouldn’t worry. Considering the crowd the punk’s involved in, he could’ve easily slept over at a friend’s house—rented a room out for a day or two. He has the cash to do so, Sojiro’s not _that_ oblivious to the kid’s wallet. Kid mentioned something along the lines of earning extra Yen in ‘battles’ but it sounds as implausible as most of Futaba’s games.

It’s been a few days and Le Blanc is silent. Both Futaba and the cat’s in Futaba’s room— both with no sign of going out soon. The attic is collecting dust. Those friends of his haven’t turned up for coffee anytime in the week. Even that blue-haired boy Futaba likes.

Something’s horribly wrong, Sojiro can sense it. The kid makes sure to go home every night, and if not, text him or Futaba that he’ll sleep over at a friend’s. There’s been no texts, no messages whatsoever. He tried to ask Futaba, but she pushes him away.

And if he’d be honest, he misses the kid. His coffee’s good. Futaba likes him. Hell, he’d coaxed Futaba out of her shell and she’s half-ready to go to high school! Kid’s a miracle, he won’t deny it. He’d been changing Tokyo little by little, both as a Phantom Thief _and_ as himself—and perhaps if he wasn’t _this_ disillusioned at the kid’s age (who was barely seventeen himself) Sojiro’d been the same.

Except the ‘defeating demons from another world’ part, but that’s another story altogether. It sounds more fantasy than reality—something out of a JPRG or something—but it’s plausible.

* * *

 

Kid reminds him a bit of Wakaba too. Endlessly kind to everyone, doting—she’s nothing but a simple what-if and a distant memory nowadays. The diamond ring’s he planned to give her still hidden in his sock drawer.

Most importantly, Wakaba’d be ecstatic to know her research _led_ somewhere—that a world where someone can manipulate cognition was— _is_ real. She would’ve taken Futaba on that trip she promised— but the past was the past. No amount of reminiscing would bring her back. Cognitive world or not, Isshiki Wakaba’s dead and nothing’s going to magically revive her.

* * *

 

Regulars storm in and out, talking about nothing but the Phantom Thieves. The conversations drag on and on—its tiring—but the smell of Wakaba’s coffee and curry makes it a little more bearable. Small talk is unavoidable though—

“Latest gossip is they caught the ringleader,” a regular tells him on the fourth day of the kid’s disappearance, “people say they’ve been keeping it hush hush because people say he’d escaped.”

Sojiro almost drops the plate and the clean rag he was holding. He forces a grin, “Yeah? Good for the government then.”

The regular nods eagerly, hand loose on an empty cup’s handle, “Hope there’d be no more shutdowns after this—who’s to say they’ve been covering up the leader’s death? Wring out the accomplices.”

“I guess,” he replies softly, “I guess so.”

Shido’s face appears on the television again and the regular watches on with a smile.

Sojiro tries not to scowl at the man on the television. His hands tighten on the items he’s holding.

“Shido’d be a great prime minister, don’t you think Boss?”

He merely nods and turns to the television, contempt in his eyes.

* * *

 

Futaba only talks to him when she’s out of instant ramen.

It’s unhealthy, he knows that—but Futaba’s not one to take her health seriously. Especially after her quasi- brother's been missing for five days. In the times he _does_ see her, there are bags under her puffy purple eyes and her hands are trembling. The kid’s cat trails at her feet, mewing softly as if to comfort her.

He can faintly hear a group call coming from her room most of the time, he can clearly hear the garbled speech of the other thieves—all their hushed voices equally worried and dismayed.

That alone makes his heart drop to his stomach.

He brings the cat fatty tuna one day to see if its mood would change—but Morgana looks at him with sad blue eyes that are almost human-like in nature. He ruffles Morgana’s fur affectionately, before telling it to go back to Futaba.

The cat’s smart, it walks to Futaba’s door and waits for Futaba to open it quietly. The kid never told him how he got Morgana—but he assumes it has to do with the Phantom Thief stint he’s been doing. Truthfully, at this point in time, he wouldn’t be surprised if the cat could talk and fight, like the other thieves.

* * *

 

It’s been a week. The café is silent.

Takemi walks in, much more frazzled than usual. The doctor slumps down near the counter—the first thing he notices is that her normally pristine concealer is shoddily applied, leaving spots of dark circles under her eyes.

“The strongest brew you have Boss,” she mutters. Her nails rake at the countertop uneasily.

“Something wrong Takemi-san?” Sojiro asks the doctor, Takemi nods.

“You should come with me to the clinic,” she replies in a somber tone, “my little guinea pig’s alive—and to my understanding, he’s your ward for the year, right?”

He nods. His heart might’ve gone a few notches up, beating wild and fast in his chest. It doesn’t take long to connect the dots— _the kid’s **not dead**._ The kid’s alive! He sighs in relief, finishes the strongest coffee Takemi can take without palpitating.

“On the house,” he says as he hands the takeaway cup to Takemi, “For taking care of the kid.”

“It’s no problem, after all that he’s done for me,” she replies with a small smile, “I’d discuss more, but I think we can save it until we get to the clinic.”

He removes the apron, hanging it by the door. Takemi waits silently, sitting on the barstool. The back streets are quiet. The way to the clinic even more so.

“Fair warning, it’s not pretty,” Takemi says, holding the door to the examination room.

Sojiro braces himself, looks at the doctor straight in the eye. “I understand.”

There’s a click of a lock, and his heart drops once more when he sees the kid bloody and bruised on the clinic bed.

**Author's Note:**

> i should really be writing the next chapter of (reversed) fool but welp have this first. sojiro is really fun to write,
> 
> follow me on tumblr @amixxhan, go shout at me when you get there.
> 
> comments and kudos are greatly appreciated (i like the validation thanks).


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